Ifra Hormizd
| Ifra Hormizd | |
|---|---|
| Regent of the Sassanian Empire | |
| Regency | c. 309 AD–c. 325 AD |
| Monarch | Shapur II |
| Spouse | Hormizd II |
| Issue | Adur Narseh Shapur II |
| House | House of Sasan |
| Religion | Christianity[1] |
Ifra Hormizd (Modern Persian: ایفرا هرمز) or Faraya Ohrmazd (Modern Persian: فرایه هرمز) was a Sassanid noblewoman, spouse of Hormizd II and mother of Shapur II.[2] She was the regent during the minority of her son between 309 and 325.
Following the death of Hormizd, and the crisis of succession that followed, the noblemen of the country decided to hand over power to the last child of Hormizd, who had not yet been born of Ifra. Thus, the crown was placed on Ifra's belly, and she ruled over the country with nobles from 309 until the adulthood of her son, Shapur, who was declared mature to rule himself at age sixteen in 325.
Etymology
There isn't much information about Ifra Hormizd's name, and only Jewish sources mentioned her name.[1] Theodor Nöldeke also finds the name "Ifra" unclear.[1] It may be related to the Persian word "Afiryon", translated as grace, and would thus be a title similar to "Her Grace".
Life
According to the Nestorian chronicle, the father of Shapur II's mother was Jewish.[1] According to a corresponding chronicle, Ifra Hormizd was converted to Christianity by Shemon Bar Sabbae and this may have been one of the reasons for the execution of Shemon. Note that there was a period of persecution of Christians during the reign of Shapur II.[1]
Regency
Following the death of Hormizd II (r. 302–309), his son Adur Narseh (r. 309–309) succeeded him, but after a while he was deposed and killed by noblemen.[3] Nobles then blinded Hormizd's second son[4] and his third son who was named Hormizd, was imprisoned. He escaped the prison shortly afterwards and took refuge in Roman Empire.[5] Therefore the throne of Sassanid empire was considered for the unborn son of Hormizd by his wife Ifra Hormizd, who later became Shapur II (r. 309–379).[6]
References
- ^ a b c d e Neusner 1969, p. 35.
- ^ Daryaee 2009.
- ^ Tafazzoli 1983, p. 477.
- ^ Al-Tabari 1991, p. 50.
- ^ Shahbazi 2004, pp. 461–462.
- ^ Daryaee 2014, p. 16.
Sources
- Daryaee, Touraj (2009). "Šāpur II". Encyclopaedia Iranica.
- Neusner, Jacob (1969). A History of the Jews in Babylonia, Part 4. The Age of Shapur II. Brill. ISBN 9789004021471.
- Tafazzoli, Ahmad (1983). "Ādur Narseh". Encyclopaedia Iranica, Vol. I, Fasc. 5. p. 477.
- Al-Tabari, Abu Ja'far Muhammad ibn Jarir (1991). Yar-Shater, Ehsan (ed.). The History of al-Ṭabarī, Volume V: The Sasanids, the Byzantines, the Lakhmids, and Yemen. Trans. Clifford Edmund Bosworth. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press. ISBN 0-7914-0493-5.
- Shahbazi, A. Shapur (2004). "Hormizd (2)". Encyclopaedia Iranica, Vol. XII, Fasc. 5. pp. 461–462.
- Daryaee, Touraj (2014). Sasanian Persia: The Rise and Fall of an Empire. I.B.Tauris. pp. 1–240. ISBN 978-0-85771-666-8.